The Ood are an alien species from the long-running science fiction series Doctor Who. In the series' narrative, they are a peaceful race who have been enslaved by humans in the far future. The Ood are a telepathic species; however, humans—particularly the company Ood Operations—inhibited their telepathic communications, essentially lobotomising the Ood. During the course of the series, the Doctor encounters the Ood and later helps to free them from slavery.

Created by Russell T. Davies, the Ood's original purpose was to fulfill the role of a "servant race" in the 2006 episodes "The Impossible Planet" and "The Satan Pit", after plans to use the Slitheen in that role fell through. Davies and the production team felt there was more room to explore the Ood's history in the show's universe, and due to both that and a highly positive public reception of the Ood, they were brought back for the 2008 episode "Planet of the Ood".

The Ood have been a subject of analysis by various sources. Parallels between the in-universe treatment of the Ood and real-world instances of slavery and exploitation, in particular, have been a topic of significant discussion. Some analysts have also said that the Ood are seen as inferior and given the othering treatment not because of any wrongdoing on their part, but rather due to their different preferences and cultural priorities.

Doctor Who is a long-running British science-fiction television series that began in 1963. Its main protagonist, The Doctor, is an alien who travels through time and space in a ship known as the TARDIS along with their travelling companions. When the Doctor dies, they undergo a process known as regeneration, completely changing their appearance and personality. Throughout their travels, the Doctor often comes into conflict with various alien species and antagonists.

In the show's universe, the Ood are a peaceful race that hail from a planet known as the Ood-Sphere. They have three brains: one in their head, a hindbrain they hold in their hands, and a massive brain-like entity that connects the Ood psychically like a hivemind. The Ood exert a telepathic field, and they have a song they sing to each other telepathically. The Ood race was enslaved by the company Ood Operations; the company manufactured propaganda—aimed at potential buyers—which claimed that the Ood enjoyed working as slaves, and that their species was naturally inclined towards slavery. The Ood's hindbrains were cut off and replaced by an orb that translates what they say to humans; the collective brain was sealed within a dampening field, which, combined with the hindbrain's disconnection, inhibited their telepathic communication to such an extent as to lobotomise them. The Ood are mistreated by those who own them, with scanners in one story considering Ood more akin to livestock than sentient beings. Though most accept the Ood's slavery as a fact of life, a group known as "Friends of the Ood" seeks to free the Ood from slavery, though they are not considered very influential as an organisation.

The Ood debuted in the 2006 episodes "The Impossible Planet" and "The Satan Pit". The Ood are used as slaves by a group of humans on the planet Krop Tor, which is near a black hole. Though the Tenth Doctor's companion, Rose Tyler, questions the Ood's slavery, the Doctor accepts their enslavement and is quickly distracted by other matters. The Ood have been possessed—by exploiting their collective psychic link—by a creature known as the Beast; it attempts to use them to free itself from its prison beneath Krop Tor's surface. Rose and the crew are able to render the Ood unconscious, and after the Beast's demise, the Ood, alongside Krop Tor, were sucked into the black hole.

The Ood re-appear in the 2008 episode "Planet of the Ood". The Doctor visits the Ood-Sphere where they encounter the base of Ood Operations, which manages the distribution of Ood throughout the human empire of the far-future. The Ood's collective brain, trapped within the dampening sphere, has begun to break free and contact other Ood, coordinating a revolt against the company. Ood Operations' leader, Klineman Halpen, attempts to kill the brain—a move that would exterminate the Ood—but Halpen's servant, Ood Sigma, tricks Halpen into drinking, under the guise of hair tonic, a liquid that turns Halpen into an Ood. The Doctor, learning the truth of the Ood, strives to help them; he aids in breaking the dampening sphere, freeing the Ood from slavery and restoring their telepathic abilities. The Ood from across the empire are subsequently brought back to the Ood-Sphere.

Ood Sigma returns in the 2009 episode "The Waters of Mars", where he attempts to contact the Doctor. The Doctor subsequently visits the Ood-Sphere in the following story, "The End of Time" (2009-2010). Due to damage done to time, the Ood have advanced rapidly, and are now able to project themselves through time. The Ood Elder reveals a dream to the Doctor about his enemy, the Master, which makes the Doctor return to Earth to stop him. Following the Master's defeat, Ood Sigma gives the Doctor encouragement as he regenerates.